Hugely successful debut album by artist Mike Oldfield. The album is known for its signature opening track, which was soon used as the recognizable music to the film The Exorcist, and also for its financial success, providing the foundation for what became Richard Branson's Virgin Empire. Previously, Branson had been the owner of a single, though quite successful, record shop.

Although Oldfield was to later become known as a New Age artist, he has stated that Tubular Bells is too dynamic to fall into such a category, though some elements are similar. It has, by contrast, been featured on rock album lists, and is usually classified as a Progressive Rock album.

Tubular Bells was released in 1973, and its success spawned the recording of The Orchestral Tubular Bells in 1974, but it was not until much later that Oldfield returned to his first album in force, releasing Tubular Bells II in 1992, Tubular Bells III in 1998, The Millennium Bell in 1999, Tubular Bells 2003, and Tubular Beats in 2013. Oldfield has recently announced Tubular Bells IV to be released at an unknown date.

Tracklist:

Side One

"Tubular Bells, Part One" (25:30)

Side Two

"Tubular Bells, Part Two" (23:20)

Tubular Tropes:

Boléro Effect: Every album but Tubular Bells III has a finale at the end of the first side of vinyl which, like the original Bolero, adds a different instrument each loop until everything is playing beneath the majestic entry of the titular instrument.

Credits Gag: Tubular Bells has a caption reading "This stereo record cannot be played on old tin boxes no matter what they are fitted with. If you are in possession of such equipment please hand it into the nearest police station." This is a parody of labels advising listeners that stereo LPs may be played on mono equipment given suitable cartridges are used. The gag is preserved on Tubular Bells 2003, where it reads "This stereo record still cannot be played on old tin boxes no matter what they are fitted with."

Earn Your Happy Ending: Simon Heyworth commented that the cover of "The Sailor's Hornpipe" was added to the end of Part Two because it otherwise ended on a gloomy note.

Exactly What It Says on the Tin: The "Bootleg Chorus" (Mike Oldfield and producers Simon Heyworth and Tom Newman) credited on Part Two is so named because their chant sounds like "Boot! Leg! Boot! Leg!". They are also credited as the "Manor Choir", named after The Manor studio where the album was recorded.

Fake Loud: In Tubular Bells, the peak volume is intentionally held down until the titular bells are heard, leaving the impression that their sound is louder. Oldfield also mentioned that he wasn't able to use actual tubular bells due to the budget, so he ended up hammering smaller bells (hard enough to crack them, inspiring the cover) and recording them with excessive microphone gain, resulting in a distorted sound.

For Doom the Bell Tolls: Tubular Bells cools down near the end with the sound of a distant tolling bell, setting the piece up for its climax.

George Lucas Altered Version: Tubular Bells 2003 is rerecorded with all the recording, mastering, and editing equipment that didn't exist in 1973. Most bits are more or less the same, but there are some significant differences.

Idiosyncratic Cover Art: Every sequel and re-release (as well as Tubular Beats) features the iconic bent tubular bell logo on a different background, and sometimes in a different color.

Improv: That epic acoustic bit right before "The Sailor's Hornpipe" on the original? Mike wrote the bassline and the basic direction he wanted it to go in, and bam. "Piltdown Man" was a drunken Mike babbling nonsense into a mic.

Instrumentals: With the exception of "Man in the Rain" from Tubular Bells III.

Lighter and Softer: Oldfeld wrote the original Tubular Bells from a very dark, depressed, alcohol-fueled place. Tubular Bells II comes from a bright, optimistic place and it shows. Even "Altered State" (the "Piltdown Man" variant) is fairly goofy.

Long List: The liner notes' list of instruments Oldfield played on the album.

The Show Must Go Wrong: According to Mike himself, he made several mistakes while recording, but had to leave them in. Then again, considering part one was recorded in just a week, he didn't have a choice.

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